Filip and Neil from our team interviewed Sam J Jones (Flash Gordon) at MCM Scotland 2017. After we got over our initial fanboy giddiness, we manged to complete the interview and get photos.

Check out our interview with Flash Gordon below:

Filip: “What were your thoughts when you read the Flash Gordon script initially?”

Sam: “Oh gosh, we didn’t really get it to the very end because the auditioning process for me went on forever, maybe seven or eight months. Then finally, they flew us to London for 30 days of the old Hollywood screen testing. And they didn’t really give us the script, just scenes at a time.

So I think the next day from when I got it, we were filming Flash Gordon. But I loved the comedy, loved the humour, Lorenzo Semple Jr. was wonderful…and how camp it was. Some of it was very cheeky, a lot of the dialogue was also kind of risky too, when you go over and listen to it again. “

Filip: “How was it working with Brian Blessed?”

Sam: “Oh good, Brian takes the room by storm, I would think some actors get offended but I don’t . It’s the most memorable thing ever, I mean he is a real piece of work, it’s art in action. It’s King Lear in action.”

Filip: “Is it true that you also signed up for six sequels for Flash Gordon?”

Sam: “You know, it’s no rhyme or reason, it’s just the industry. We filmed it 38 years ago…”

Filip: “If you could be any other superhero from any other movie or show, who would you pick?”

Sam: “Flash Gordon….every time!”

Filip: “Who would you say would be Flash Gordon’s biggest opponent, who would give him the biggest challenge?”

Sam: Sam smiles and says “All my leading ladies.”

Filip: “What was Hulk Hogan like?”

Sam: “Oh yeah, good guy! He invited my wife and I to his house it was during Easter. It was very unique, he invited me to go to the gym with him. And I said no because I was told that he is the guy that nobody can compare with him, and one of his objectives is to get people sick from working out so hard. That they throw up. So I said no thank you, I think I complained that I was injured. “

Filip: “How did your role in Ted come about?”

Sam: “The producer said to me when I was eight years old, I saw your movie and when I walked out of the movie theatre I knew I wanted to be a creative type guy. And then I said not only did you become creative, you also became a bit perverted, I hope I didn’t influence you on that as well.”

Filip: “Last question, what do you do to stay in such amazing shape?”

Sam: “You know I try to eliminate all the craziness and all the nonsense. Yeah I cheat a little bit, but anything I eat, my mind has to say that this is value that I am putting into my body. I mean these diets never worked for me, it’s just eating food with value. And sodas, I probably have two sodas a year, maybe ginger ale because it makes your stomach feel good.

And get enough of the other stuff like fruits and all. And then workouts if I don’t have time to do an hour, I’ll do something, get in and get out. Don’t lit a cigarette between sets. Don’t make phone calls. I try to rest no more than five seconds if you can imagine, five seconds between each set, and I’m done. Sometimes I do 10 minutes, sometimes 20, and I’m done, because I want to get in and get the heck out of there!”